


The Colour Green

by Entwinedlove



Series: Marvelously Magical Bingo 2018 [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU - Repealed Statute of Secrecy, Anxiety Attacks, Coworkers - Freeform, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 14:30:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15687300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entwinedlove/pseuds/Entwinedlove
Summary: Neville shows Bruce why he loves the colour green.





	The Colour Green

**Author's Note:**

> For Marvelously Magical Bingo 2018; fills square **G2** – _Neville Longbottom_
> 
>  
> 
> [ ](https://i.imgur.com/nR7cmo2.jpg)  
> 

Neville was just coming in from the greenhouses when he came across Dr Bruce Banner, Hogwarts' newest Muggle guest lecturer sitting on the floor in a corner in an out of the way place whispering to himself. At first, Neville thought the man was praying but he looked a little too manic for that to be it.

Neville had had his fair share of PTSD flashbacks and panic attacks since the war. Sometimes he would still get them on bad days when he saw a particular dark burn on the castle walls or an uncomfortably large reddish-brown stain on the stone floor where a carpet had been flipped up. He knew how that felt. As a seventh year and as a teacher, he'd learned to recognise those things in others and help when he could.

He walked closer to Dr Banner and listened to the man's feverish mumblings, a rapid-fire assortment of "please, don't come out Hulk," and "don't do it, this castle is a thousand years old," and "don't, don't, don't."

Now, the Hogwarts staff had been apprised about Dr Banner's oddities and Neville knew that the Hulk was not someone that should have free run in a school. Not that they couldn't rebuild the school if a giant creature wrecked havoc—they'd done it before, obviously—but there were students here and Neville didn't want any of them traumatised by an authority figure. He knew what that was like.

Neville kept his distance so as to not startled Dr Banner but then spoke in a soft, low voice. "Mr Hulk, Dr Banner, would you both like to come see my greenhouses? It's very peaceful out there right now. No students or anyone else."

Banner's eyes opened wide in terrified shock and they were glowing a radioactive green but the rest of him was still Banner. He looked scared but nodded. Neville stood and watched him and Dr Banner slowly followed, sliding back up the stone wall.

Neville nodded and said, "It's just down this hall and left through a secret staircase. Come on, I'll show you." He strolled along and listened and congratulated himself on doing well at not startling the older man as he heard steady, soft footsteps following him. When he got to the secret passage he stood half in the illusion of stone and turned to look back at Banner. He still looked a little on edge and his eyes were still that bright green but nothing else had turned green so Neville nodded him on through. He cast a quick Wand-Lighting Charm and held it up high as he followed Banner down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, he said, "It's not locked, just push." Banner did and they both stepped out into the afternoon. The glow of the setting sun set off prisms from the glass panels of the greenhouse rooves and Neville smiled to himself when he saw the rainbows they made against the side of the castle.

Banner had stopped to look around and Neville stepped around him. "I love the colour green," he said as they looked around at the garden outside of the greenhouses. "It's a versatile colour and it has a lot of meanings." He gestured to the ivy climbing the castle wall and focused on the dark hunter and the yellow-green stripes. "Sure, there's the association with greed and jealousy but like the ivy that wants to climb the highest towers, it can also be about ambition." He beckoned Dr Banner closer and when the older man took a single step in his direction he pointed to some of the oldest and tallest trees in the Forbidden Forest beyond the castle defensive wall. They could just make out the dark evergreen firs amid the cornucopia of yellows and reds. "Like the evergreens, the colour symbolises endurance and stability. And though the Forbidden Forest is a bad example, green means safety."

Banner turned to look at him and Neville gave him a smile. Banner seemed like he tried to return it. One corner of his lips tipped up like he appreciated the joke.

"Come over here to my favourite spot so I can show you something, I think you'll enjoy it." He led him into the back of greenhouse three, past the lethal plants to the potting station and shelf with dainty orange ceramic pots. Banner hesitated, looking up at the low, glass ceiling panels with a nervous tension in his shoulders.

Neville just reached out and patted him on the arm, guiding him closer to the potting station. "I come out here when I'm looking for a sense of peace, and quiet, and hope." He pointed at the new sprouts in the tiny clay pots with their pale, baby green leaves just poking out of the soil. "Green can mean fertility, of course. Renewal. Rebirth. A need to grow. But with that need is the lack of experience. These baby plants may be lethal but they aren't even ready for normal size pots yet, see?" he picked up a little pot and cradled it in both hands before handing it to Dr Banner. He took it, also holding it with both hands. "Even they need care and someone to tend to them." Neville could have sworn he saw the man's bottom lip quiver a moment but he wouldn't ever mention it. Green also spoke of compassion.

"You can come here any time you need it. I can get you my schedule so you know when there aren't classes out here. They're also warm even when there are heavy snows on the grounds."

When Dr Banner looked at him, the unnatural hue of his eyes had faded back to their usual warm brown. "Thank you." He looked down at the tiny plant, still cradled in both hands against his chest. "I could have destroyed this," he looked around at the greenhouse ceiling again, "I still could."

Neville smiled. "Magic makes it a lot easier to clean up and fix things when they get broken and we can always replant if we need to."

Banner nodded and reached out to set the tiny plant back on the shelf next to its siblings. He stared out at the lethal, well-developed plants, all their own shades of hunters and emeralds and pale turquoises.

Neville gave him a moment, glancing up at the sky through the glass roof. The sun had fully set by now. "Come on, Dr Banner, let's go inside. I think it's about time for dinner."

"Call me Bruce, please."

"Only if you call me Neville."

Bruce glanced up and gave him a full-on grin.


End file.
